Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) stopping and (b) reducing monthly support payments for people accepting one-off compensation payments from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority on people dependent on ongoing support for daily (i) living, (ii) medical and (iii) care costs.

The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme includes Care and Financial Loss awards, which recognise the past and future care needs and associated costs for infected people.

All support scheme beneficiaries, when undergoing their compensation assessment from IBCA, can choose between the ‘core’ and ‘adjusted’ route. Choosing the core route would mean accepting their compensation as a lump sum, or periodic installments. Choosing the adjusted route, would mean a smaller lump sum, and continuing to receive support payments for life.

If someone chooses to continue receiving support scheme payments, their Care and Financial Loss awards (under the core route) will be offset against their support scheme payments.

This means that regardless of which option an infected person chooses, they will receive a form of payment that recognises their increased living, medical, and care costs, associated with their infection.

Those currently on the Infected Blood Support Schemes will continue to be able to apply for discretionary payments until they receive a compensation offer from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.